Fire and Water
by Bubble-tea-me
Summary: The Fairy Tail guild had been pretty peaceful for the past year, and Juvia's adoration for Grey has remained true and heartfelt. That is, until a sudden change of events, in which Grey falls for Lucy, leaving Juvia stunned and confused. Amidst the chaos, Natsu reached out to her, as his heart has been broken as well. Over time, relationships alter, and secrets are revealed.
1. Discoveries

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail**

 **Chapter 1**

 **Discoveries**

Early morning of April. The sun's rays were peeking through the sakura blossoms, as a calm wind blew across Magnolia. It was a seemingly perfect day. Yet lurking in the shadows of fate, a darker aspect was making its way towards the Fairy Tail guild.

Today was a very important day for a certain mage. Her blue locks were swept behind her as she skipped on the cobblestone pavement towards the guild hall. Her long dress flowed gracefully, like a ripple in water.

Juvia smiled to herself. Today was her beloved Grey-sama's birthday. Truth be told, she was actually quite nervous. She had no idea if Grey would actually like her present. Not only that, but it was Lyon's birthday as well.

The controversy between Grey and Lyon had been going on for quite a while now. As sweet as Lyon was, deep inside she knew that Grey was the one. He just needed a bit of a push forward, that's all. She had gotten him a hand made snow globe, with a specially made fairy tail symbol inside, made of ice. She loved the idea, figuring with the water and ice encased inside, it would somehow give her more luck in a relationship.

The day was young; maybe a little too young, being it was only 6:00 in the morning. Juvia had made sure to get a fresh start on the day, setting up the party. It was going to be held in the guild hall, and she'd invited several other guilds; Blue Pegasus, Lamia Scale, and she'd even invited Crime Sorcier, even though she knew they would not be able to make it, seeing that they couldn't show their faces in public.

Gasping and out of breath, Juvia climbed up the stone stairs up to the doors. Pushing them open, she gasped. The guild hall was an utter mess. Chairs were hanging from the balcony, drinks spilt on the wooden floor. A couple of tables were smashed; they seemed to have been thrown against the wall with quite some force.

 _Oh god, this was not good_ , Juvia though to herself. How could she possible set up? She started pacing, when she noticed Mirajane in the middle of the chaos. She was in the process of picking up the drinks from the ground. She noticed Juvia, smiling meekly.

"I'm so sorry Juvia. Last night, things got a little carried away. I know today is Grey and Lyon's birthday, and it means a lot to you, but I don't think we'll be able to pull this off in time," Mira apologized.

Juvia's face fell, then solidified into a firm expression. "Then we have no time to waste, now do we?" She stated.

Juvia's strength found its way into Mira's head, and she smiled as well. They would pull this off if they put their minds together.

They began right away, Juvia using her water magic to lift the drinks, cleaning them out, and washing the stains from the floor, before setting them down gently on the counter. Mira was busy flying around in demon form, picking up the chairs from the balcony, and collecting the broken tables.

After the room was spotless, the two hurried downstairs, into the supply room, and together managed to lug new tables and chairs upstairs. Fairy tail had a seemingly endless supply of these, as the guild tended to get trashed a little more than intended.

With Mira in charge of setting up, and Juvia on decorations, the front door opened. In walked the baker, a jolly old man wearing a white shirt stained with flour and other pastry-related substances.

In his hands was a huge cake, nearly towering over his head. It was entirely white, with 3 layers, light blue icing lining the edges. On the top, a Lamia Scale and Fairy Tail logo side by side at the top of the cake. They seemed to be made of ice, even though it was probably just sugar.

Juvia's face broke into a smile as she was just finishing up hanging a banner, reading ' _Happy birthday Lyon and Grey!_ ' She gingerly hopped down off the stool, and hurried over, thanking the baker for coming regardless of the short notice.

Juvia and Mira stepped back to admire their work. There were tables set up symmetrically down the wall, with blue and white tablecloths draped on them. There were snowflake centerpieces on each table, and plastic plates set up. Even the chandelier hanging from the ceiling was tinted blue.

Soon after, the doors burst open yet again, revealing at least 10 people standing there wearing black and white tuxedos. In their arms, plates filled to the brim with every food you could imagine- Chicken, pasta, burgers, rice, steak, sushi… the list went on and on.

Juvia's stomach growled as she let them in. She had to save her appetite for the party. Even so, as she directed the people where to put the food, she may have stolen a fry or 2. Everything was in place, perfect for the party.

Just as Juvia and Mira collapsed on a chair, the guests began to arrive. First was the Blue Pegasus guild, led by Ichia. Juvia shivered inwardly. He had always given her the creeps, ever since a few years ago…

Next came the Saber Tooth Guild, followed by a couple others. The next thing they knew, the guild hall was buzzing with energy. Lamia Scale arrived shortly after. Juvia could clearly see the excitement radiating in his eyes, even though his composter was fighting to remain calm and composed.

Last came the Fairy Tail Guild, fashionable late, as always. Juvia sighed, as they slowly began arriving one by one. They were so predictable. Then Juvia felt her heart thump in her chest.

In the doorway, stood Grey. He was wearing black cargo pants, a white button up shirt, a flannel dark blue jacket. Juvia's heart fluttered. He was so… stunning. She hurried up to him, and latched onto his arm. He squirmed slightly, inching back.

Juvia smiled. She knew he was hiding his feelings from her. "Happy birthday, Grey-sama! I hope you like the decorations! Mira and I spent all morning setting up. The cake is your favorite flavour, vanilla! Oh, and we also- "

"Oh that's nice. Thanks." Grey replied idly.

Juvia's face fell slightly. He seemed to be looking across the room. She quickly glanced back, looking for whoever he was looking at. He had probably realized he was zoning out, because he quickly coughed, saying something about having to go to the washroom or something.

He pulled away, and Juvia quickly shuffled back. Her heart sunk. What was going on? Shouldn't he be excited for today. Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice behind her. It was Lyon, coming to thank her for all her hard work.

"You really didn't have to do all this," He explained with a smile. "I really appreciate it"

Juvia smiled meekly back. Her mind was lost in thought. Where was Grey? What was taking so long? She had come to the immediate conclusion that maybe he was in trouble or something. She quickly broke into a run, leaving Lyon standing there in the midst of his confusion.

Her footsteps echoed down the long empty hall, searching frantically around the meandering path. Where was he? Turning a sharp corner, she was thinking of a worse-case scenario, when she clashed, head first, into Natsu.

They both collapsed on the ground, dazed. Natsu was the first to stand, then quickly offering Juvia his hand. She quickly took it, and pulled herself up. Had Natsu been looking for someone as well?

Just as she had predicted, Natsu explained that he had been searching for Lucy.

"Have you seen her anywhere?" He asked in concern.

"No, I haven't actually. Have you seen Grey?"

"Not recently, no…"

Their steps slowed as they walked through the building, keeping their eyes peeled for anyone. Then, with a sudden jolt, they heard the door behind them creak open. They both spun around, surprized. What they saw sent a shock wave through their bodies.

Grey and Lucy were holding hands. And they were smiling.

* * *

 **Thank you so much for reading this chapter! If you liked it, please follow and leave a review. This is my first take on a more romance-based story, so I really want to hear your opinion, as always. Also, thanks to my friend Sydney, who basically created the entire plot! So thanks again!**

 **Bubbles :3**


	2. Broken Glass

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail**

 **Chapter 2**

 **Broken Glass**

Thump. Thump.

Grey… with Lucy… What was happening?

Thump. Thump.

Holding hands. Smiling.

Thump. Thump.

Natsu broke Juvia's trance by bursting out laughing. Juvia quickly regained her posture, knowing she shouldn't be jumping to conclusions.

"Ha! You guys dating now or something?!" Natsu said, humored. "Wow Grey, I never would've thought…!"

The two quickly separated hands. Lucy was visibly blushing. Grey was scratching the back of his head, a smirk on his face.

"Stop being an idiot! We just bumped into each other on the way here! Its nothing." He replied heatedly.

Juvia quietly stepped forwards. "Why-why were you holding hands then?"

Long silence. Natsu was grinning now, although there was another expression buried beneath the surface. What was it? Sadness? Envy?

After hesitating, Juvia repeated her question.

"I said it was nothing!" Grey shot back. He was yelling now. "Why are you always stalking me? Embarrassing me all the time, you're such a pain to have round! I'm not interested! Can't you take a hint? It's been so many years, so could you just leave me alone for once?"

"Grey! What's your problem you idiot!" Natsu exploded

Juvia just stood there, frozen. She must be dreaming. This wasn't really happening, was it? She slowly bowed her head. Her actions were simple and calm, as if she was void of emotion.

She turned around, took three steps away, and then broke into a run. She ran and ran, through the chaos of the party, bumping through the crowd of people. She pushed open the doors, running out down the steps. She could hear voices calling out to her, asking her what was wrong. But she just ignored them.

She didn't care anymore.

Running, running, until she collapsed on a bench beside a fountain. That was as far as she got. Then Juvia burst out crying. Tears brimming her eyes before pouring down her face.

Thunder rumbled above her head, and rain began to pour. She remembered this feeling; she had felt it years ago. Before she had joined the guild. Before she had met Grey.

She was drenched now, shaking in the rain. This was not how the day was supposed to go. Grey was supposed to be thanking her. She should be celebrating with him. So why? Why would he say that? She felt a hand rest on her head.

"You really shouldn't be out here in the rain. You'll catch a cold."

She glanced behind her. It was Natsu.

Juvia quickly wiped the tears from her eyes, although the rain continued on.

"You know I can't catch a cold. It's you who shouldn't be here. Just- just leave me alone."

Natsu sighed, and sat down beside her. There was a long silence.

"Well, you should just get over him. Grey, I mean. He's just being a jerk because I provoked him. It is his birthday, so he's probably just set off easily."

Juvia choked up again, and Natsu put his arm on her shoulder and pulled her closer. He waited until she was calmer, then she sat back up again.

She finally got a clear view of Natsu's face. He was wearing an expression of hurt. A pang of guilt hit Juvia like a freight train. She was making this all about her. She didn't realize that he was hurt too.

She quickly sat up.

"Well, Lucy didn't really say anything about that, so-so maybe"-

Natsu quickly broke into a grin.

"Lucy? Oh she's just embarrassed because she had to be seen with that loser. She'll be back to her normal self real soon!"

His words sounded convincing, but his voice said something totally different. It was like he was contradicting himself.

She smiled back sheepishly.

"I know Grey-sama would never really mean those things he said. He was probably just caught up in the party. He'll come around eventually. I'll just give him some time alone."

Natsu, inspired by her words, smiled back. Juvia started feeling better about herself. Yes. Grey was just frustrated, that was all. Tomorrow, everything would be much better. The more she told herself, the more she believed it.

Juvia headed back to her house. ' _Thank you Natsu_ ', she thought to herself.

Juvia fell asleep a little more satisfied about what tomorrow would bring. She was dead wrong.

The next morning, she got out of bed, brushed her teeth, and got dressed. The sun was sparkling. Today she would apologize. Then everything would turn out. On the way out the door, she noticed a bag on the counter. The present! She had gotten so caught up yesterday, she had forgotten about it.

Grabbing it, she hurried out the door. She was afraid she might miss him, since he had mentioned something about going on a job. She raced down the cobblestone paths, this time with purpose. She was unsure, yet confident about how today would go.

Just as her legs were about to give up on her, she had climbed the last step, and had begun making her way into the main hall. Sitting casually on a bar stool, she glanced around. Where was he? By the time she noticed him, he was already climbing the steps of the stage.

He stepped up slowly, causing everyone to begin taking interest in what he was doing. Clearing his throat, he said the words she never thought he'd say. The ones she was dreading.

"Umm, hey everyone. I have an announcement to make. Lucy and I. We're-um… officially together."

Juvia dropped the bag with a crash. The glass shattered. As did her heart.

* * *

 **Thank you so much for reading this! If you haven't realized, this is a Natsu x Juvia/Grey x Lucy themed fanfic, so please don't judge if you're not into that ship too much. Thanks to my friends Sydney, who is relentlessly helping me with this series. We've actually set up a pretty solid plot, so we're really excited! I'll try to keep posting soon! Also sorry about the short chapter :)**

 **Bubbles :3**


	3. Out with a Bang

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail**

 **Chapter 3**

 **Out with a Bang**

Gray… and Lucy… together.

Juvia couldn't even think. Her eyes were just blank. She had no emotion. She couldn't hear, nor speak.

Things just refused to sink in. She was imagining. Dreaming, maybe. Any second now, she would open her eyes, and she'd be in bed, ready to start up the day. But as she stood there, with that petrified look on her face, colors began to reappear in her eyes. This was real.

' _Just breath. Don't cause any unnecessary attention. Just back up. Leave maybe.'_ Juvia was shaking now. Breath in. Breath out. It was her left leg that gave out first. Next thing she knew, she was drooped over the ground. Like a puddle.

A tear fell, and she watched it glitter, sparkling in the light. It was beautiful. But then it hit the ground, exploding into an array of little shards. It reminded her of herself. She was now broken, far beyond repair.

No. She had to leave this place. She stood, and took slow, rugged steps, towards the door. Her ears were ringing, and the tears continued to flow, although she couldn't feel… anything. Three more steps, before she broke free of the suffocating crowd. It was already pouring outside.

The moment she left, she broke into a steady run. She didn't know what was going on. She needed to focus. She needed to leave. And so, she ran, forever it seemed, until her legs had given up on her.

And in what spot but the hill beside the lake. The place they had always spent time together at. More memories. Too many to count. She couldn't take it. But at the same time, she didn't think she had the stamina left to push on. So she sat, pulled her knees into her chest, and wept.

Memories resurfaced. The time Gray had saved her from falling off her guild hall. The day they both sat on the roof, out of breath, as the sun rose for the first time in Juvia's lifetime. All the jobs they had gone on. Natsu and Grey, and their stupid rivalry.

Her relentless pursuance of his attention. Their anniversary. The scarf. Her lifelong obsession.

With every thought, more tears came. Lucy. The tower of heaven. Their friendship. All those times she supported her, even when Juvia was being a jerk. Every time she fell behind the group, Lucy was always there to push her forward, giving her the inspiration that no one else could give.

Tears. Tears. She was crying so heavily; she couldn't see anything. And now- now they had both abandoned her. For each other. How was this possible? For the two people she had cared for the most to be the ones to betray her. The tears continued to pour down her face. Nothing made sense.

Then she felt an arm wrap around her shoulders. Surprised, she looked over, to see Natsu. He was wearing a grim face, and was staring off into the horizon. It pained her so much to see such a deep, lost expression on his face. Hadn't Natsu always been the optimistic one?

Still shuddering, and trying to catch her breath, Juvia leaned sideways, putting all of her weight into Natsu's side. She had no energy. No more endurance. The pouring tears continued, but now, with more ease.

"I"- Natsu's voice cracked. "I know this is tough on you. It's- tough for me too."

They sat together in silence, Juvia still sniffling. "We'll pull through," Natsu said with conviction. He stood up, quite shakily, and extended his arm towards Juvia. "How about we go on a job together. It'll help. The longer we dwell on this… Bad things happen, trust me."

Juvia looked upwards, eyes in slits, as she realized the sun was peering through the clouds. She had never seen the fragile side of Natsu before. Not up close, at least. She honestly had no idea where to go from here. But she could try to start up again.

She slowly reached her pale hand upwards, and took Natsu's hand. She pulled herself up, taking in a deep breath. The tears were still falling, but slower now. Tired and confused, she kept her hand in Natsu's, feeling safer that way. They began to make their way towards the city, and Juvia looked over. She could've sworn she saw a single tear drip down the side of his face. But then again, it could have been rain.

The two stood in the community hall, as they didn't intend to enter the guild hall again any time soon. On the board, a couple jobs scattered here and there. But one specifically caught her eye. It was a bright red and blue poster, reading 'Wizards needed! This job required mages wielding the unique powers of fire and water.'

At the bottom, the reward had so many zeros at the end it made her eyes pop. This was it. The job fate had set for them. Juvia carefully lifted the paper off the wall. With a quick, silent glance, Natsu gave a tiny nod, and the two set off to the desired location, which just happened to be nearby.

Turned out, there was a sea monster terrorizing a nearby village, and the people were pretty defenseless. After a slow talk with the leader, they set out to face the thing head on. It seemed easy enough.

Juvia knew the path ahead of her was filled with obstacles that she would have to find her way around. She was a mess; her Gray-sama was with her best friend. This was something she knew she would never get over. But at least she had someone who was there for her. It was them against the world.

"Fire dragon- "

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! I know you're probably thinking, "Oh no! Bubbles hasn't posted in 5 days! She's probably dead or something!" So sorry about that! Promise I won't leave you guys for such a long time ever again! Anyways, thanks again, and I'll keep updating as soon as I can! :)**

 **Bubbles :3**


	4. Starting Over

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail**

 **Chapter 4**

 **Starting Over**

About 5 months have passed. You'd think Juvia was getting over the entire Gray incident by now. And she was. For the past couple months, Juvia had been eating away at her pain, going on countless jobs with Natsu. But the pain was still there. She just didn't notice it as much.

She couldn't pinpoint that feeling she felt. When she was with Natsu, something washed over her. Was it calmness? A feeling of relief? Safety? She shook it away. Now was not the time to be lost in thought. They _were_ in the middle of a heavy battle with some earth-type mages, after all.

She looked them up and down. One was a shorter and scrawnier-looking guy, with brown, spiky hair. She shivered inwardly in disgust. She could only imagine the last time he took a shower. She quickly turned to her left. A tall, muscular guy, at least two times her height, was cracking his knuckles. His bright, blond hair stood out a little too much, leaving her blinking for a couple seconds. With hair like that, blinding an opponent should be easy. She couldn't tell if this was a tactic, or just plain stupidity.

Finally, on her right, a smaller, agile girl stood. She was a little shorter than Juvia, and her hair shone a deep black. Hair like that, it looked just like-

No, she couldn't think of that now. _Let the past be, Juvia. Stay focused._

They all wore matching purple robes, and by the looks of them, they were novices. Their stances were unbalanced, their hands drooped to their sides. For all she could tell, she could probably just walk up to them and punch them; and get away with it too.

Regardless, she knew she should never underestimate an opponent. She stood, hands at the ready, about to conjure some basic attack, when Natsu held a hand in front of her.

Juvia gaped. What was he doing? Couldn't he see they were in the middle of a fight? But then he turned to her and smiled. Such a beautiful smile, she couldn't look away. She knew what to do when this happened. Just sit back and watch the show.

"I've been meaning to practice this new attack I've been working on for a while now." Natsu said, right on cue. "I've never tried it on an _actual_ opponent, since… Well, you know what happened last time…."

Juvia shuddered. She could still see Max, lying in the middle of a gaping whole. There had been smoke everywhere. _Get that thought out of your head! I do hope he's alright though…_

"But I'll need you to help me!" Natsu finished.

Juvia turned her head in bemusement. "You want me to _help_?! Since when?"

"Since now!" He replied enthusiastically.

"Um, ok. But don't I have to actually know what to _do_ before I do it? What do I say? At least tell me that!"

"Well, I've been meaning to let you know for a while, but it's a fire-water combination spell. Pretty cool, huh!"

Juvia blinked. "Won't the two just cancel each other out? I mean, fire and water don't exactly… you know, go together."

Natsu sat on the dirt floor, lost in thought. Then he perked up. "We'll make it work!"

"That's your plan?!"

"Well, yeah, I guess… Well, what do _you_ think we should do about them then?"

Juvia turned back to their assailants. They had been talking for so long, they must have weirded out their enemy by now. Juvia grinned sheepishly and turned back to Natsu.

"You know what, your idea works, I guess."

"Great. Just hold my hand, and let's do this thing!"

As Juvia took his hands, she realized his hands were warm. She felt herself blushing. _Wait, what? Why am I blushing? The only reason anyone would be blushing was if- No, that's not it._

As he placed one hand on her waist, she had a terrible flashback as she began gathering energy into her palms. This stance. It was so… familiar. Her and Gray had used a similar attack back when-

And just when they attacked, Juvia's hands slipped. She was shaking. It was all too much. She felt a heavy blow as she got propelled away from Natsu. She hadn't held her ground. That must've messed with the attack. As she hit the ground, she realized how this was all her fault. Natsu was always being so positive, and she was just getting in the way.

Natsu quickly recovered moments after he collapsed.

"Plan B!" He shouted mercilessly.

Juvia sighed, shaking away any doubts. _Typical Natsu…_

As Juvia sat she watched as Natsu had his fun running around like a total idiot as he obliterated the fools who dared to get in his way. With a little flutter, she felt something in her heart. What was it? Warmth?

 _No, that doesn't make sense. I've always had such a cold heart. Not my heart, figuratively, but I could've sworn I just felt a spark go off. Why would that happen? It's never happened before…_

She had been so used to feeling this cold, empty void inside, even when she was with Gray. So why now…

They arrived at the guild hall a couple hours later. They were both a little out of breath, with Natsu recovering from his rampage, and Juvia with the blow that had thrown her a couple feet away from where she had originally been standing.

It hadn't bothered her before, and since Natsu had been so resilient after that, she hadn't really pain much attention to it. But on their way back, she had begun to feel pain in her left side. With a blazing headache to top that off, she was as good as dead. Figuratively speaking, of course.

She sat down on a bar stool, and began to fill Mirajane on the details. Mirajane had always been intent on hearing what was going on during their jobs. Her stories seemed to humour her. She was so exhausted, she didn't even notice Gray and Lucy walk by until it was too late.

They weren't holding hands, but they might as well have been. They were talking and laughing, too distracted to notice Juvia right away. She sat, frozen, in her seat. What should she do? Run? Not, that would draw too much attention to herself.

Before she could do anything, she felt a hand grab her from behind. Being led by a mysterious hand, she couldn't fully understand what her situation was. All she could see was a bright red mop of hair…

Natsu! He had… He had dragged her away from one of the worst scenarios she'd experienced in her lifetime. Her mind was blank. He was perceptive, she had to give him that.

Once outside the guild hall, they took a seat on the bench outside. For a while, they just sat there, staring ahead of them. She should say something. Then again, what was there to say? She glanced over at him nervously.

"Th- thanks. For…" Her words trailed off. She felt a sob rise in her throat, but she quickly forced it down. _No more tears. I promised myself that._

Natsu quickly stood up. "Its nothing. You should go home now. Its getting late now anyway."

"I think I'll stay here a bit longer, if that's alright with you. I just need some time to think, that's all."

Natsu nodded briefly, then turned, and headed his separate way back to his home. As Juvia watched him walk away, she felt something click. It was like she felt some type of… tenderness towards him. The kindness he constantly has been showing her for the past few months. It was remarkable.

 _Wait, where are these thoughts coming from? I don't… like Natsu or anything, do I?_

Juvia sat, thinking. Maybe… Just maybe.

When she arrived home, she noticed something sticking out from under the door. It was a paper. She opened the door, and peered down at the little note that had apparently been slid under her door.

 _That's strange. I've never gotten a letter before._

She curiously crouched down and picked it up. It read:

' _Dear Juvia,_

 _Something important I have to tell you._

 _Meet me at the park, at 10:00, tonight._

 _Don't be late._

 _Natsu.'_

Natsu had given her a letter? How long had she been sitting on that bench for? Well, either way, long enough for Natsu to deliver this note, at least. And why would he want to meet her at the park so late? What did he want to tell her?

A couple scenarios passed through her head. Was something happening she didn't know about? Maybe… Juvia felt herself blush. Maybe he had feelings for her, and he was-

No, she was overthinking it. Natsu, serious as he could be sometimes, was still awfully childish. Confessions weren't his thing. Anyways, why were these thoughts running through her head?

Regardless of what she though, she still made sure to fix her hair, checking the clock constantly. Finally, around 9:45, she stood up, and began to make her way to the park. She twiddled her thumbs in anticipation. _Don't be so nervous! Just act like you always do!_

The moment she entered the park, she knew something was wrong. Just the air in the area was unsettling. And the fact that the place was empty was even more befuddling. Where was he?

Then, she heard a solid _crack_ echo behind her. Before she had time to react, she felt a hand being clamped over her mouth. Then, darkness.

* * *

 **Thanks so much for reading! Sorry its been a while, so thanks for waiting this long. Wanted to leave you guys at a bit of a cliff hanger until next time! Anyways, thanks for the awesome reviews! Hope you'll bear with me until the next chapter! :)**

 **Bubbles :3**


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